All signs point to World Cup:
Organizers give green light for biathlon competitions
Oberhof is ready for the BMW IBU World Cup Biathlon 2026 – and thus for the start of the AXA Winterwochen – Thüringen 2026. After weeks of intensive preparation, those responsible have given the green light for the competitions to start on January 8, 2026. Athletes and fans alike can look forward to exciting races at the highest level
The organizational processes have been largely coordinated, the sports facility is almost complete, and the competitions have been thoroughly prepared: Oberhof is ready for the World Cup, and the teams and fans can make their pilgrimage to Oberhof. "We are well prepared and looking forward to the coming weeks with confidence. We are a well-coordinated team of full-time and volunteer staff. Everyone does their job, and we can rely on each other," said Bernd Wernicke, OC President and Managing Director of Oberhofer Sport und Event GmbH, during the opening press conference today (January 2, 2026). Around 700 volunteers will ensure that the winter sports event runs smoothly.
The sports venue itself is in excellent condition, not least thanks to the recent spell of frost. Sports venue manager Heiko Krause explains: “The cold spell came late, but just in time. We were able to use the holidays to save the snow reserves from November and produce new ones. We are well on schedule. Most of the tracks have already been completed.” The track is currently covered with 60 to 80 centimeters of snow. The final details are currently being taken care of, such as preparing the Kulle Kurve and setting up the advertising spaces. The official training session before the men's sprint will take place on Tuesday (January 6, 2026) from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
A total of 150 female athletes and 148 male athletes from 27 nations have registered for the six competitions—sprint, pursuit, and relay—at the ARENA am Rennsteig. Peter Sendel is responsible for overall sports management for the first time this year. The 53-year-old former biathlete is taking on the role of competition director with great motivation: "This role is something special for me. I want to contribute my experience to ensure fair and high-quality competitions. As a former active athlete, I know the requirements very well, but I am also in close contact with the current athletes. We want to shine. That is my goal."
A total of more than 50,000 fans are expected in Oberhof over the four days of competition. "The strong advance ticket sales show how much anticipation there is for high-class biathlon. We are expecting exciting races and an outstanding atmosphere in the ARENA am Rennsteig," said Bernd Wernicke. While the competitions on Saturday (January 10, 2026) are already sold out, tickets for the men's sprint on Thursday (January 8, 2026) and the women's sprint on Friday (January 9, 2026) are still available in the ticket shop at https://tickets.events-oberhof.de/ still has tickets available for the men's sprint on Thursday (January 8, 2026) and the women's sprint on Friday (January 9, 2026), as well as remaining tickets for the two final races on Sunday (January 11, 2026).
Photo: Kick-off press conference (1)
Photo source: Christian Heilwagen/Oberhofer Sport und Event GmbH
Photo: Kick-off press conference (2)
Photo source: Christian Heilwagen/Oberhofer Sport und Event GmbH
Photo: Kick-off press conference (3)
Photo source: Christian Heilwagen/Oberhofer Sport und Event GmbH